Kobe University UNESCO Chair: Gender andVulnerability in Disaster Risk Reduction Support

Opening remarks
International Seminar 2021@NKUST
2021.10.2

Ronni Alexander
Director, Kobe University Gender Equality OfficeWELCOME!

• Who is here?

• Indonesia (UGM)• Malaysia (UTAR & MercyMalaysia)• Thailand (MFU & NIDC)• Taiwan (NKUST)• Japan (KU)

http://www.office.kobe-u.ac.jp/opge-kyodosankaku/index.html

2021/2/20

R. Alexander

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What is a UNESCO Chair?
• Objective: a university network for:• Teaching• Research• Cross-border sharing of knowledge• Approval• Needs approval by UNESCO headquarters• Four-year period• No accompanying funding

UNESCO Chairs as of2021.1.20
Worldwide: 831
Indonesia: 2
Japan: 11Malaysia: 3
Taiwan: 0Thailand: 2• Role• Research, education, partnering, community outreach2021/2/20

R. Alexander

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Kobe University UNESCO Chair• Title: Gender and Vulnerability in Disaster Risk Reduction Support• Purpose:• Share experience of disaster from Kobe University to the world• Deepen connections with other countries, institutions to create a safer andmore inclusive world• Duration: 4 years; 2018.4~2022.3• Only UNESCO Chair on gender & disaster• Under supervision of UNESCO Women’s Division• Part of a Global Network of UNESCO Chairs on Gender (23 chairs)
2021/2/20

R. Alexander

5Partner Institutions• UGM: Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia• NKUST National Kaohsiung University ofScience and Technology, Taiwan• UTAR: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman,Malaysia• School of Social Innovation, Mae Fah Luang
University, Thailand• NIDC: Network for International
Development Cooperation, Thammasat
University, Thailand• Mercy Malaysia, Malaysia• Kobe University, Japan• NWEC: National Women’s Education Center,Japan
2021/2/20

R. Alexander

UGMMERCYUTAR

Malaysia

Kobe

MFU

University
NIDC

NKUST

NWEC

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Tasks of our UNESCO Chair
This seminar

RESEARCH
Joint research withpartners• Gender sensitiveand inclusive
guidelines fordisaster risk
reduction• Build
multidisciplinarymodel for DRR

2021/2/20

EDUCATION/
AWARENESS

Awareness &strategy
implementation• Training forstudents,
professional,
policy makers• DRR awarenessactivities for
local community

GUIDELINESPOLICY

Establish
guidelines• Circulate anddisseminate
throughseminars,
symposia, HP,
etc.

Policyrecommendations• Should meet
local needs• Should aim tobuild more
resilient andinclusive society

R. Alexander

RECOMMENDATIONSDDR NETWORKEXPANSION

Expansion of DRRnetwork• Build
international
DRR network
based on genderequality andsocial inclusion

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What’s new
UNESCO CHAIR• Proposal for the next 4 years• Kobe University UNESCO
Chair: Gender, Vulnerability
and Well-being in Disaster
Risk Reduction Support• 2022.4 – 2026.3

BOOK PROJECT• Submission of our bookproject proposal to Kobe
University social sciencemonograph SPRINGER
series• Currently sample chapters
are under review• Publication in March 2022

Attendance at Global Summit of UNESCO
Gender-Related Chairs and Networks (W36)2021 Education Program• Title: “What do you think about this inequality? COVID-19vaccine + gender + vulnerability = ???”
• Now, people around the world are focusing on COVID-19 vaccines.
While some countries have a surplus, others do not have nearlyenough. This year, we will focus on inequality with regard toCOVID-19 vaccines. We will talk and work together with university
students from Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

Today we have two exciting speakers!
Taiwantime
10:0010:30
10:3012:00
12:0014:00
14:0015:00
15:0015:30
15:3016:30

Activities
Opening Speech
Moderator: Dr. Jin-Long Lu
Keynote Speech by Dr. Jau-Ming ChenT o p i c : I m p a c t s o f C l i m a t e C h a ng e o n R e g i on a l C l i m a t e i n
Taiwan and Southeast Asia

Lunch
Moderator: Dr. Ronni ALEXANDER
Keynote Speech by Mr. Michael Siao

T o p i c : T z u - C hi D i s a s t e r s R e l ie f M o d e lIntermissionModerator: Dr. Ronni ALEXANDER
Discussion time for 2021 education program
The end of seminar

This is an important moment in history• Disasters are increasing in
number and complexity• COVID-19 has increased thesocial and economic gaps in
our world• We have come closer
together through ITC
technology, but the digital
divide separates and divides
us